FRIENDS and relatives are to pay a special tribute to gutsy schoolboy Kyle Wood as the Games relay passes through his home town.

A GRIEVING sister is to carry the Commonwealth Games baton in her little brother’s place after he died aged just 14.

Kyle Wood died in his bed of a suspected seizure in April, six days after learning he’d been chosen to run with the baton.

Games organisers gave his sister Kai, 16, special permission to take his spot in the relay as a tribute.

Mum Susanne, of Tranent, East Lothian, said: “I was saying I’d have to contact the relay people and let them know about Kyle, and Kai said, ‘Can’t I do it for him?’ I contacted the organisers and they said she could run in his memory.

“I know Kyle will be there in spirit. He was so proud to have been chosen.”

Kyle, who had epilepsy and learning disabilities, loved sport. He was a founder member of the Lothian Leopards athletics club for disabled kids and was also a big football and cycling fan.

He often told kids at the athletics club: “You can do it, just like me, just like I did it.”

It became his catchphrase, and at least 100 relatives and friends will wear T-shirts with his photo and slogan as they watch Kai carry the baton through Tranent on June 17.

Susanne said: “It will be a bittersweet moment for us.”

Organisers will use the display screen on the relay’s control car to show a tribute to Kyle during Kai’s run.

Kyle went to Ross High School in Tranent, where his mum is a support worker. Many of his school pals and teachers will be there for the relay.

Depute head Neil Chisholm said: “We were all very happy when we found out Kai would be taking the baton. It’s a fitting way of remembering Kyle and all he meant to us.”

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